Why You Should Live with a Roommate

Finding an apartment and moving out of your parents’ house is almost like a rite of passage into adulthood. You may look forward to setting your own rules, having your own space, and find that sense of independence you’ve always dreamed of after graduating and moving away from home for the first time.

However, in today’s day and age, it can be financially difficult for young adults to find an apartment they can live in and afford on one income. Not only is rent typically high in major cities, but living expenses can be just as high, depending on where you live, of course. For example, if you live in an apartment in a city where you need heat for half the year, then this can become an astronomical expense that is simply unaffordable.

This is probably the number one reason why young adults decide to find roommates they can live in order to share the expense of rent, utilities, groceries, and so on. But there are actually more benefits to living with a roommate than just finances.

The Benefits Of Living With a Roommate

Sharing Responsibilities. Having your own apartment is great, but cleaning it? Not so much. Remember when your parents cleaned the bathroom, did the dishes, went grocery shopping and took out the trash? Those days are over. There are a number of domestic responsibilities that now fall on you to take care of – but with a roommate, you can now share those responsibilities either by setting a schedule, taking turns or using the “divide and conquer” approach.

Living Alone Isn’t Everything. Although you might be ecstatic about finally having privacy and your own place to yourself, and while this might be a liberating feeling in the beginning, loneliness can eventually set in… However, living with a roommate can help keep you company and might even become someone whom you can hang out with and talk to from time to time. Having an apartment with a roommate can really be the best of both worlds.

A Helping Hand. Working full, part time or several jobs and trying to keep up with cleaning and maintaining an apartment is hard work that never ends. However, with a roommate, you can not only share responsibilities, but also have a helping hand when you need one. For example, if you and your roommate work different schedules, then your roommate might be able to run an errand you forgot to do, feed your cat or walk your dog.

You Might Just Become BFFs… If you move to an apartment in a new city, it can be tough to meet new people and find new friends to hang out with, especially if you work full time or multiple jobs. If you are careful and diligent in your roommate selection and vetting process, then you are likely to find a roommate that you can comfortably live and get along with. In fact, you and your new roommate might just become great friends.

Of course there are pros and cons to living with a roommate, however, we can likely agree that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Even if you aren’t too keen on the idea of having a roommate, but you are forced to split rent and living expenses to survive financially, these are great benefits to keep in mind. You might even find that having a roommate was the best decision for you.

WeRoomies is a platform for connecting like-minded roomies. Our goal is to create a fast and easy way for roomies to save money and live happier.